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Leeds head coach Daniel Farke has accused Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" during their top-flight match at the Etihad

Leeds made the worst possible beginning with Phil Foden scoring within the opening 60 seconds, before Josko Gvardiol extended the hosts' advantage ahead of the interval

Second-Half Comeback Denied

Nevertheless, the visitors rallied following the interval following a adjustment of tactics and formation, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring immediately after the resumption

Furthermore with City visibly struggling to cope with the changes just before Lukas Nmecha equalized, City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed to receive attention, allowing boss Pep Guardiola to call his team to the sideline and deliver new directions during the two minutes play was halted for

"Everybody understands why he went down," Farke stated

"This isn't the obvious issue. Why he fell it was obvious. It is within the bounds of the regulations. It is smart. If I like it? If it's in line with the sense of sportsmanship? If it ought to be like this I will reserve to myself. It is up to the governing bodies to determine a solution"

Coach's Disappointment

"I questioned the fourth official at this point if you wish to take action. Our options are limited"

"Unless we teach our players in football what to do in terms of fair play and fair play and whatever and if we just attempt to bend the rules and even do a simulated knock in an attempt to do an additional team meeting, it is not what I like personally. But if it is allowed by the rules I can't complain"

Late Deciding Goal

Foden's injury-time decisive goal sent Leeds to a sixth consecutive loss in seven Premier League fixtures to place them eighteenth in the division, with only last-placed Wolverhampton having notched fewer Premier League goals this season

Strategic Adjustments

However, Daniel Farke, who has been criticised for a absence of boldness especially around changes, was nearly vindicated for a bold decision at the interval that almost turned around their situation

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Foden, stated that his team were only able to reorganize after Pep Guardiola's touchline meeting with his squad

"During the break we were in command. Second half they emerged, pressed us a lot more aggressively, they put a pair in attack and changed the setup a little bit," commented Phil Foden

"We genuinely had difficulty to gain control of the game. We assembled on the side of the field and changed a couple of aspects and it got better from there. That little break was crucial to make corrections"

Encouraging Signs for Leeds United

The last time Leeds lost four consecutive top-flight games was in the 2022-23 season, when their campaign ended with relegation

Nevertheless, while Daniel Farke stated that "their main emotion is frustration", their second period display provided enough evidence to indicate they are capable of arresting their present run and climbing up the standings

"To show such a display should give us plenty of confidence. If we demonstrate such spirit and unity we have a great opportunity to win the points," Farke continued

"We possessed the confidence before the match, throughout the game and after the encounter. Otherwise you can't respond with a performance like that. We have great unity and determination in the locker room"

Expert Opinion

Commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Scottish club forward Chris Sutton remarked: "Everyone expected it to be a straightforward victory for City, but it has been far from comfortable in this second half"

"Leeds can take a lot from this display with the manner they have performed in this second half"

"Then came Daniel Farke's adjustments, who is frequently criticised for not being as proactive as he should be. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced and physically challenged the Manchester City defenders"

"It looked like it could be a massive pivotal moment in Leeds' season, but Manchester City discovered a bit of brilliance. They got away with one this evening"